Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk's catalog received a richly-deserved upgrade in 2009 with the long-delayed release of The Catalogue, which offered overdue (and brilliantly executed) remastering, lavish packaging, and some new artwork. Whether or not the new cover art is an improvement is generally a matter of taste. [I considered it a shame to bid farewell to the quintessentially German original cover of Trans-Europe Express. Only in the case of the much-overlooked Radioactivity does the new art convey a different message, shifting the focus from radio broadcasts to nuclear power, a much less pervasive theme in the music itself.] It is clear, though, that the internet has shifted towards the new covers in terms of what's readily available online. Unless noted otherwise, what's posted below are the original covers.

Ralf und Florian

Phillips, 1973

(Out of Print)

Autobahn

Vertigo, 1974

(Adapted from Hardformat)

Radio-Activity

Capitol/EMI, 1975

Trans-Europe Express

Capitol/EMI, 1977

The Man-Machine

Capitol/EMI, 1978

Computer World

Warner Bros./EMI, 1981

Techno Pop

Warner Bros./EMI, 1986

(Cover identical to original 1986 version, released as Electric Café, but with original intended title restored, as seen in The Catalogue.)

The Mix

Elektra/EMI, 1991

(Courtesy of Garance Drosehn)

Tour de France Soundtracks

Astralwerks/EMI, 2003